Metallic spool



Jan. 22, 1929. 1,699,700

J. H. v KJELLSTROM METALLIC SPOOL Filed Jan. 20, 1927 mwen/l@ Patented Jan. 22, 19,29. i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HERBERT KJELLSTROH, OF ROCKFOBI), ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO J'. L. CLARK MANUFACTURING C0., OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METALLIC SPOOL.

Application led January 20, 1927. Serial No. 162,250.

This invention pertains to metallic spools of the type generally employed in packaging adhesive tape and consisting generally of three members, namely, two end members or heads and a cylindrical body.

Such spools are used largely by physicians and surgeons, and it is thel practice-to grasp the spool between the thumb and forefinger, placing one at each end of the mam tubular body of the spool. Held in such a manner,

. the spool may be turned so as to remove the material wound thereon.

` Spools as heretofore manufactured have in many instances been objectionable in that the construction preferred because of its simplicity, and hence most commonly employed in fastening the heads on the ends of the tubular body, leaves exposed shar edges such as to tear or cut the lingers or g oves of the user.

One object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a new and improved spool in which the objectionable cutting edges are concealed, and which at the` same time may be cheaply manufactured.

Another object is to provide a novel method of assembling my improved metallic spool.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following disclosure and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows in'elevation my improved form of spool.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of the completed spool in longitudi- ,5 nal section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary -view in longitudinal-section showing a spool which lacks one step of complete assembly, namely the stamping in place of the smooth guardu ring ,which is shown above the end ofthe spool Y in o'sition for the stamping operation.

ig. l is an enlarged fragmentary view in longitudinal section showing the elements of the spool after the Hnal stamping operation. ln producing my improved spool, l employ a construction common in the art and preferred because of itssimplicity, with the addition of a very simple and yet effective means for concealing sharp cutting edges. o 'l`hus my improved s ool comprises a cy1indrical body 5 formed rom-a fiat piece of sheet metal, lthe two edges meeting at 6, and tending to form a narrow slot. The heads 7 are n similarly formed and strengthened by forma ling annular beads 8 on the outer edge'therethe Hange 13 of. Each disk or head has a central aper-l ture through which the ends of cylinder 5 may project, and about the aperture a groove 9 is formed, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The preferred construction employed to sc cure the lheads 7 onto the opposite ends of the 'cylindrical body 5 consists in forming an annular outwardly projecting bead 10, spaced a short distance from the end of said cylinder, between which bead and an out-turned `flange 11 formed on each end of the body, the

head 7 is clamped. 4

It will be observed that this construction leaves exposed the sharp cutting edges of the slot 6 and the flange 11. To protect the user against these cutting edges, I employ a simple U-shaped guard ring 12 made froma disk of sheet metal. The `outer peripheral edge of this disk is drawn to Yform a-depending flange 13, adapted to lit into the annular groove 9 in the head 7 so that its edge is unexposed; and the inner portion of the ring is drawn to. form a 'similar depending lange\14 which may be, of any desired length suliicient .to protect the hands of the user from theedges of the slot 6, and from its own edge.1

In practice the several parts of my spool may be assembled as follows:

In one operation, the end of the cylinder is inserted into the aperture in the head 7, and the end of said cylinder bent outwardly tol form flange 11. Simultaneously the outwardly extending bead 1() on the body 5 is flattened against the inner side of the head 7. The flattened bead 10 and the flange 11 will y then form an outwardl facing annular groove in the tubular bo y 5, and into this groove will extend that annular portion of thehead 7 between the annular groove 9 and the central aperture. The head 7 is thus firmly held in' place through contact Awith flange 11 on the outer side andy bead 10 on the inner side.

ln another operation, the guard ring 12, having been reviousl formed, is inserted,

being em edded in the annular groove 9 in the head f7, and the flange 14 extending into the cylinder 5. The guard ring 12 thus has a drivngifit in the end'of the spool, and effectively conceals all the sharp edges ofthe flange 11 and the tubular body 5.

It will be apparent that the spool con-` structed as herein described is of extremely simple' construction, the guard ring, while u@ -cost of the spool. I do not, however, claim as my invention the guard ring apart from its association with the spool head, substantially 4as set forth, since this guard ring in its broader aspects is the invention of Wallace C. Mills and forms the subject matter of a copending application, Serm'l No. 281,011, filed May 28, 1928.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a metallic spool comprising a main tubular body formed from a sheet of metal, and having an annular bead and an annular flange adjacent the end thereof, the abutting edges of which form a slot,

and an apertured head on the end thereof secured between said bead and said flange, said head having a narrow annular groove opening endwise of said spool, of 'a guard ring having two spaced anges, one fitting snugly into said groove and the other being adapted to fit snugly into said tubular body so as to cover the end of said slot.

2. A metallic spool comprising, in combination, a main tubular body bent from a sheet the terminal ends of which form a narrow slot, a centrally apertured head secured to one end of said body, said head having a narrow annular groove formed therein, and a guard ring of substantially U-shaped cross section extending 'from within said tubular body over the end thereof'and into said groove.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aixed my signature.

JOHN HERBERT KJ ELLSTROM. 

